Unreached peoples of Sri Lanka
An overview of the country's people groups, focusing on those who still have little or no access to the gospel in their own language and culture.
Overview
Sri Lanka is home to at least 138 people groups catalogued by Joshua Project, and more than half of them remain little or not reached by the gospel. Buddhist Sinhalese, the country's largest ethnic group, and Hindu Tamils, its main minority, are among the peoples with the smallest presence of evangelical churches. In all, more than 3.7 million people live in groups still without significant access to the good news.
In the country i
6.9%Christians
1%evangelicals
By population i
16.4%unreached
0%significantly reached
- 16.4% Unreached (3.8M)
- 83% Minimally reached (19.1M)
- 0.6% Superficially reached (145K)
- 0% Partially reached (0)
- 0% Significantly reached (0)
By people groups i
138people groups
55unreached · 39.9%
- 39.9% Unreached (55)
- 52.9% Minimally reached (73)
- 7.2% Superficially reached (10)
- 0% Partially reached (0)
- 0% Significantly reached (0)
Source of people group data: Joshua Project (joshuaproject.net). Estimates, may vary.
Source: Joshua Project. Estimates, may vary.
Unreached people groups · 138
| People | Population | Language | Evang. | Chr. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hindu Pulayan Frontier | 1.1M | Malayalam | < 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Henawalayo | 21K | Sinhala | - | 3.7% |
| Hunna | 99K | Sinhala | - | 6.5% |
| Christian Ilavan | 137K | Tamil | - | 100% |
| Hindu Dhobi Frontier | 12.9M | Hindi | < 0.1% | < 0.1% |
| Valluvan Frontier | 126K | Tamil | < 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Thimilar | 23K | Tamil | - | 15.4% |
| Maravan | 3.5M | Tamil | - | 2.8% |
| Sri Lankan Chetti Frontier | 7K | Tamil | 0% | 0% |
| Berava | 404K | Sinhala | - | 6.6% |
| Palliwilli | 2K | Tamil | - | 15.1% |
| Muslim Tamil Frontier | 4.6M | Tamil | 0% | 0% |
| Sali Frontier | 1.1M | Kannada | - | < 0.1% |
| Kinnara | 31K | Sinhala | - | 0.5% |
| Ahinkuntaya | 66K | Sinhala | - | 6.5% |
| Indian Tamil | 11K | Tamil | - | 36.2% |
| Hakki Pikki | 27K | Vaagri Booli | 0.3% | 0.8% |
| Hindu Vannan Frontier | 965K | Tamil | < 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Ambattan | 17K | Tamil | - | 14.5% |
| Memon Frontier | 790K | Gujarati | 0% | 0% |
| Marakkalage Frontier | 10K | Tamil | 0% | 0% |
| Radava | 397K | Sinhala | - | 7.4% |
| Burgher | 57K | Sinhala | - | 87.1% |
| Adi Andhra | 323K | Telugu | 0.4% | 0.9% |
| Samban | 25K | Tamil | - | 1.4% |
| Konta Durayi Frontier | 2K | Sinhala | 0% | 0% |
| Porowakara | 65K | Sinhala | - | 5.1% |
| Koviyar | 1K | Tamil | - | 15.8% |
| Idayan Frontier | 85K | Tamil | 0.2% | 1.5% |
| Vanniyan | 13.4M | Tamil | - | 1.4% |
| Kiddea | 17K | Sinhala | - | 6.1% |
| Hindu Mukkuvan Frontier | 168K | Malayalam | 0% | < 0.1% |
| Osta (Nasuva) Frontier | 9K | Tamil | 0% | 0% |
| Hannali | 364K | Sinhala | - | 6.9% |
| Agamudaiyan | 954K | Tamil | - | 0.8% |
| Sayyid Frontier | 16.3M | Urdu | 0% | 0% |
| Pidayne Danno | 10K | Sinhala | - | 3.5% |
| Nalavar | 48K | Tamil | - | 15.4% |
| Maravar | 94K | Tamil | - | 16.5% |
| Ilavan Frontier | 6.2M | Malayalam | - | < 0.1% |
| Hajam Frontier | 4.8M | Urdu | 0% | 0% |
| Wahumpura | 9M | Sinhala | - | 7% |
| Bodhivansha | 16K | Sinhala | - | 6% |
| Hindu Nadar Frontier | 3.2M | Tamil | 0% | 0% |
| Batgama | 411K | Sinhala | - | 1.5% |
| Salagama | 340K | Sinhala | - | 12.2% |
| Christian | 2.1M | Hindi | - | 100% |
| Hindu Yadav Frontier | 62.7M | Hindi | 0% | < 0.1% |
| Semman | 7K | Tamil | - | 1.7% |
| Radayo Frontier | 2K | Sinhala | 0% | 0% |
| Dodda-Weddah | 41K | Sinhala | - | 6.5% |
| Mukkuvar | 45K | Tamil | - | 18.5% |
| Kallan | 1.4M | Tamil | - | 0.3% |
| Chetti Sri Lanka Frontier | 779K | Tamil | 0% | 0% |
| Navandanna | 1.3M | Sinhala | - | 7.3% |
| Kustarogiyo | 16K | Sinhala | - | 5.3% |
| Navithan Frontier | 876K | Tamil | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| Couratto | 8K | Sinhala | - | 1.7% |
| Hinna | 265K | Sinhala | - | 6.7% |
| Christian Nadar | 1.4M | Tamil | - | 100% |
| Ambalavasi | 184K | Malayalam | - | 1.7% |
| Shaikh Frontier | 103.9M | Urdu | 0% | 0% |
| Tondagattan Frontier | 2K | Sinhala | 0% | 0% |
| Palla | 35K | Tamil | - | 15.9% |
| Pallar | 75K | Tamil | - | 16% |
| Hindu Kasar Frontier | 709K | Marathi | < 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Agamudaiyan Nattaman | 704K | Tamil | - | 0.4% |
| Karava | 1.2M | Sinhala | - | 7.4% |
| Demala Gattara | 9K | Sinhala | - | 7.5% |
| Navait Frontier | 78K | Konkani | 0% | 0% |
| Gahala | 12K | Sinhala | - | 0.8% |
| Pannikki | 265K | Sinhala | - | 6.6% |
| Christian Bharathar | 43K | Tamil | - | 100% |
| Bania Frontier | 31.2M | Hindi | 0% | 0% |
| Muslim Sindhi Frontier | 171K | Sindhi | 0% | 0% |
| Vellidura Frontier | 1K | Sinhala | 0% | 0% |
| Panna | 35K | Tamil | - | 16.4% |
| Paraiyar | 76K | Tamil | - | 15% |
| Kaikolan | 2.7M | Tamil | - | 0.6% |
| Silpi Frontier | 225K | Telugu | < 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Bintanna | 7K | Sinhala | - | 5.1% |
| Panan Frontier | 252K | Tamil | < 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Gauraykwallu | 21K | Sinhala | - | 3.9% |
| Koviar | 231K | Tamil | - | 17% |
| Christian Chakkiliyan | 130K | Tamil | - | 100% |
| Hindu Bharathar Frontier | 14K | Tamil | 0% | 0% |
| Hindu Sonar Frontier | 8.5M | Hindi | 0% | 0% |
| Yamannu | 84K | Sinhala | - | 3.7% |
| Oli | 33K | Sinhalese | - | 5.2% |
| Sri Lankan Tamil | 10K | Tamil | - | 37.7% |
| Hindu Kumhar Frontier | 17.2M | Hindi | 0% | < 0.1% |
| Pathan Frontier | 12.3M | Urdu | 0% | 0% |
| Vaniyan | 1M | Tamil | - | 11.6% |
| Tattar | 6K | Tamil | - | 12.1% |
| Hindu Paraiyan | 2.4M | Tamil | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Handi Frontier | 2K | Sinhala | 0% | 0% |
| Karaiyar | 213K | Tamil | - | 15.8% |
| Christian Paraiyan | 846K | Tamil | - | 100% |
| Boya Frontier | 4.2M | Telugu | < 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Hindu Teli Frontier | 20.6M | Hindi | < 0.1% | < 0.1% |
| Primanar | 78K | Tamil | - | 3.1% |
| Pamunu | 33K | Sinhalese | - | 5.4% |
| Vannar | 18K | Tamil | - | 14.5% |
| Hindu Kuravan Frontier | 450K | Malayalam | < 0.1% | < 0.1% |
| Sri Lankan Moor Frontier | 741K | Tamil | 0% | 0% |
| Gattara | 830K | Sinhala | - | 6.7% |
| Thacher | 3K | Tamil | - | 9.8% |
| Hindu Paravan | 94K | Malayalam | < 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Hanomoreyo Frontier | 6K | Sinhala | 0% | 0% |
| Rajaka | 163K | Sinhala | - | 7% |
| Christian Pallan | 494K | Tamil | - | 100% |
| Brahmin Frontier | 62.1M | Hindi | 0% | 0% |
| Viswakarma | 6.9M | Tamil | - | 0.1% |
| Indian Tamil Brahmin | 34K | Tamil | - | 0.5% |
| Govigama Patti | 30K | Sinhalese | - | 5.3% |
| Vanniyar | 109K | Tamil | - | 15.5% |
| Malayan Frontier | 38K | Malayalam | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| Divehi Frontier | 3K | Dhivehi | 0% | 0% |
| Durava | 792K | Sinhala | - | 8.1% |
| Vettar | 3K | Tamil | - | 8.9% |
| Hindu Pallan | 2.6M | Tamil | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Heeri | 18K | Sinhala | - | 1.6% |
| Badahala | 124K | Sinhala | - | 7.5% |
| Christian Vannan | 162K | Tamil | - | 100% |
| Hindu Chakkiliyan Frontier | 932K | Tamil | - | 0.1% |
| Vellalan | 2.8M | Tamil | - | 3.2% |
| Malay Frontier | 18.9M | Malay | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Govigama Radala | 30K | Sinhalese | - | 5.3% |
| Vellalar | 1.3M | Tamil | - | 14.8% |
| Mappila Frontier | 9.2M | Malayalam | 0% | 0% |
| Rodiya Frontier | 19K | Sinhala | 0% | 0% |
| Govigama | 609K | Sinhala | - | 6.9% |
| Thanakavar | 3K | Tamil | - | 9.5% |
| Deaf Frontier | 27.5M | Pakistan Sign Language | 1.8% | 3.7% |
| Arab | 2M | Swahili | 1.9% | 14.4% |
| Javanese | 19.1M | Javanese | 9.3% | 18.9% |
| Mauritian | 1.1M | Morisyen | 11.6% | 35% |
| Goanese | 676K | Goan Konkani | 35.6% | 99.8% |
Intercede for Sri Lanka and its peoples
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